Mark Gogal

General Counsel

Joshua Malcolm

Joshua Malcolm

General Counsel

Joshua D. Malcolm first joined UNC Pembroke in 2008, as assistant general counsel, and several months later was appointed to the position of general counsel. He was previously assistant general counsel at Fayetteville State University for 3 1/2 years. In his role, Mr. Malcolm is the chief legal officer for the university, handling a wide range of higher education issues including civil, contractual, financial, employment, and policy matters. He is also assistant secretary to the board of trustees overseeing various administrative functions of the board.

Mr. Malcolm earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from UNCP in 1992, and was a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. He served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for seven years as a Captain and C-130H Evaluator Navigator. Upon leaving the Air Force, Mr. Malcolm earned a Juris Doctor from N.C. Central School of Law in 2004, where he was the first recipient of the Julian T. Pierce Scholarship. In addition to his duties at UNCP, Mr. Malcolm has served as chair of the N.C. Bar Association, Education Law Section, and currently serves on the board of trustees for Scotland Health Care System, as well as the N.C. State Board of Elections.

Directors

Jodi W. Phelps

Jodi W. Phelps

Executive Director, Communications and Marketing

Jodi Phelps joined UNC Pembroke in May 2016, bringing more than 15 years of experience in marketing, communication and management. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and history from Mercer University and a Master of Business Administration from Thomas University.

Jodi leads the the University Communication and Marketing office whose primary role is to establish strategic internal and external communication and marketing programs that enhance the institution’s visibility and reputation. This includes all aspects of university news and media coverage, advertising, marketing and social media.

Dick Christy

Dick Christy

Director of Athletics

Dick Christy joined the UNC Pembroke team in May 2013, after having worked in athletics for 17 years—most recently at North Carolina State University as Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. He earned his Master of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from NC State.

Megan Fees

Megan Fees

Chief Audit Officer

Megan Fees became UNC Pembroke’s Chief Audit Officer in September 2017 following nine years of experience in the accounting and auditing field, including at the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Black Hills State University and is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

As Chief Audit Officer, she reports functionally to the UNC Pembroke Board of Trustees and administratively to the chancellor. Her role is to provide independent, objective assurance and consulting services designed to add value and improve UNCP’s operations. She also conducts annual planned audits and reviews and assists management with advisory and investigative requests.

Ronette Sutton Gerber

Ronette Sutton Gerber

Director, Title IX and Clery Act Compliance

Ronette Gerber became the director of Title IX and Clery compliance at UNC Pembroke in 2014. Prior to this position, she served the university as the associate general counsel. She practiced law privately for ten years before coming to UNCP. She earned a Master of Public Administration and her Juris Doctor from UNC Chapel Hill.

Ms. Sutton is responsible for the administration of policies, procedures and data collection to ensure UNCP's compliance with Title IX federal law regarding sex discrimination from full participation in education programs and the Clery Act, which encompasses disclosure of campus security policy and crime statistics.

Professional Staff

Dan Kenney

Dan Kenney

Chief of Staff

Dan Kenney has been the chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor since 2012. Prior to 2012, he worked in Athletics at UNC Pembroke, first as a coach, then as athletic director for many years. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Education from East Carolina University.

As chief of staff, he collaborates daily with members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet and other university constituents, serves on several committees and plays a key role in university planning and reporting. He represents the chancellor at community and university functions when the chancellor cannot attend and serves as an advisor to the chancellor and senior administrators. Mr. Kenney also directs the professional staff that reports directly to the chancellor and is an active representative of UNC Pembroke in numerous organizations and events throughout the area.

Julie Smith

Justin S. Smith

Justin S. Smith

Assistant to the Chancellor for Communications and Research

Justin Smith joined the Chancellor’s Office in December 2015, bringing professional experience in journalism, higher education, economic development and politics. He earned an undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communication from UNC Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Administration from UNC Wilmington.

Mr. Smith is responsible for overseeing communication between the Chancellor and stakeholders through speeches, editorials, social media and other correspondence. In his role, Mr. Smith also ensures the Chancellor is properly briefed and prepared for all engagements and meetings.

Marla Locklear

Marla Locklear

Executive Assistant to the Chancellor

Marla Locklear has worked for the University of North Carolina at Pembroke since 1987, and for the Office of the Chancellor since 2012. She is the primary support person to the chancellor, managing the executive calendar and arranging travel. She also oversees budget requests, including financial transfers, purchases and p-card allocation and serves as the primary point of contact for the office, both greeting and directing visitors and handling phone inquiries. She graduated from UNC Pembroke with a degree in sociology.